Spiny Lobster species ID

[Elvis48]

I found this little bugger at my local fish store. Apparently a customer brought it in to the store & sold it to them. After talking about it with the owner, I'm guessing that it was most likely found locally at the beach in south FL (Ft. Lauderdale area), but have seen nothing like it before. The only feature I'm familiar with is the striped legs of a tiger lobster. It's juvenile, only about 1-1.5 inches long. It's primarily orange in it's tail, with white and light purple/magenta markings on its upper torso. I dive (hunting lobster & taking photos) locally all the time & have seen nothing even close to it in all my time diving. Any help in a species ID would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Calappidae]

Pics?

 

[Elvis48]

Apparently it removed my attached photo for some reason... Here's another

 

[Calappidae]

That guy looks awesome!

I've seen a dark colored spiny lobster like that at the lfs before.. I know there has to be several different look-a-likes.. and if this was wild collected by an unoffical then I can't make positive Identification unless someone else happens to be well aware of their location and species and can clearly point the specimen out.

Basicly.. I don't know

Ask if the lfs remembers who brought it in and next time they see him, if he can provide a little more info on it's origin

 

[Elvis48]

The guy at the lfs seems a bit "off" to say the least. Someone brought it in to the store & didn't say where they got it. The store owner said they looked like they had just come from the beach, but wasn't certain of it. So there's certainly the possibility that it's a native spiny lobster, but can't be certain. If it is native, it's way too small & illegal to have so I may just tell them that's the case or simply buy and release it. If it isn't native & doesn't have regulations on it I'd likely buy & keep it. So if really like to ID this properly.

 

[Tripwyr]

If it is native, it's way too small & illegal to have so I may just tell them that's the case or simply buy and release it.

Don't do this. Even if it was illegally collected, it can not be returned to the wild. Not only is it illegal, it could transfer a pathogen from your LFS to the ecosystem.

 

[Calappidae]

Don't do this. Even if it was illegally collected, it can not be returned to the wild. Not only is it illegal, it could transfer a pathogen from your LFS to the ecosystem.

OH YES!! biggy there..

Keep it. Technically you can't be held responible if it is illegal anyway.. it would first be consulted to the lfs.. then the original collector.. they have no evidence of your intentions of collecting it even if it goes as far as court... besides who will notice or even care to ack on it anyway.. ain't like something dangerous to public health (#blueringocto)